Folding toothbrush



0i.1,1963 c. E. Mom-:14. v 3,105,259

" FOLDING TOO'IHBRUSH W 1 Filed Nov. 1, 1960 4 v w 2 v a a r INVENTOR.

C/yde i. Morre BY @ZW $421M llfiorneys United States Patent 3,105,259 FGLDING TGOTHBRUSH Clyde E. Mariel Florence, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Standard Gil Company, Cleveland, Ghio, a corporation of Ghio Filed Nov. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 66,662 2 Claims. (Cl. 315-144) This invention relates to toothbrushes, and particularly to toothbrushes which are foldable to compact size, especially adapted for use in traveling.

In general, folding toothbrushes comprise a handle portion and a brush portion relatively pivotable to enable the toothbrush to be folded to approximately half the length of a regular size toothbrush. An interlock is provided for releasably retaining the brush and handle portions in extended, end-to-end relationship. A disadvantage of the folding type toothbrush is its lack of structural rigidity in the operative or extended condition so that when in use the brush portion is deflected out of alignment with the handle and in addition parts of the toothbrush have a tendency to break.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a folding toothbrush having improved constructional characteristics which overcome the above objections.

The above and other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a folding toothbrush embodying the invention with portions in section;

FIG. 2 is a view showing the toothbrush of FIG. 1 in a folded condition;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the components of the toothbrush;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the toothbrush;

FIG. 5 is a section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a section taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 4.

Referring in detail to the drawing in FIG. 1, a folding toothbrush 3 embodying the invention is shown in its extended or operative condition; in FIG. 2 the toothbrush is shown in its folded condition. 'lhe body of the toothbrush may be made of molded synthetic plastic or any other suitable material. The toothbrush comprises a brush member 19 and a handle member 12 which are hinged together for pivotable movement between the operative and folded conditions, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively. The toothbrush further comprises a locking member 14- carried by the handle 12 and slidable on the face 15, defined by corresponding surfaces of the brush and handle members. The member 14 is provided for holding the brush and handle in extended end-to-end relation, as shown in FIG. 1. For this purpose the locking member is provided with a key, and the handle and brush members with keyways as hereinafter described.

The brush member includes a body portion and bristles 16 which extend from the body, as shown in the drawing. The inner end of the brush member is provided With an undercut slot 18 opening through the face 15 and the inner end face 22. A pair of hinge knuckles or ears 24 extend from opposite sides of the slot 18. The openings of the ears 24 are located approximately in the plane of the side of the brush opposite the face 15.

The handle member 12 is also provided with an undercut slot 23 of the same cross section as the slot 18. The handle member also includes a pair of spaced knuckles 3t? which extend from the inner end of the handle. The openings of the knuckles 3d are registered with the openings of the knuckles 24 for receiving a hinge pin 26, which may be of tapered cross section.

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The slots 18 and 28 are aligned to provide a keyway when the brush is in its operative condition. In the embodiment shown, the slots 18 and 28 are each defined by a channel or recess opening through the face of the brush opposite the face 15 and a slot communicating with the channel and opening through the face 15. The width of the slot is less than that of the channel providing shoulders 31 and 33 (FIGS. .6 and 7).

The locking member 14 comprises an actuating piece 32 and a key which extends from the undersurface of the actuating piece. The key is dimensioned to be slidingly received by the slots 18 and 28 in the handle and brush members. The key, integral with the actuating piece, is of the same cross sectional configuration as the slots and comprises a tongue 34 and a Web 36 interconnecting the actuating piece and tongue. The web 36 extends substantially the entire length of the tongue.

The slot 28 in the handle 12 is of sufficient length to receive the length of the key when the locking member is in its retracted position, as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, when the locking member is retracted, the key is positioned clear of the brush member 1i and allows the toothbrush to be folded. The slot 18 in the brush member is of sufficient length to receive a substantial portion of the length of the key. Thus, in the operative condition of the brush, shown in FIG. 1, both the tongue 34 and the web 36 extend into the slot 18 of the :brush member and forwardly of the hinge pin 26. This arrangement provides a rigid coupling between the handle and brush members which substantially eliminates any tendency for the brush member to be deflected out .of alignment With the handle when the brush is being used. In addition, since both the web 36 and the tongue 34 bridge the adjacent inner ends of the brush and handle members, a substantially unbreakable coupling is provided which is superior to toothbrushes having cantilever type coupling members. In the latter type construction only the cantilever bridges the adjacent end faces of the handle and brush members and bending forces exerted in the direction A, of FIG. 1, frequently cause extensive deflection of the brush member out of alignment with the handle and/or breakage of the cantilever.

The tongue 34 may, and in the embodiment shown, does extend a short distance beyond the end of the web 35 for engagement with the shoulder 38 at the outer end of the slot 18. This arrangement provides further increased rigidity for the coupling of the handle and brush members.

A projection 40 located on the undersurface of the tongue provides means for retaining the key in place in the handle member when the brush is in its folded condition, as shown in FIG. 2. The projection extends sufficiently from the undersur-fac'e of the tongue to engage the hinge pin 26.

The locking member and handle may be provided with means for guiding the longitudinal sliding movement of the actuating piece on the handle. As shown, the guide means comprises a pair of slots 42 in the undersurface of the actuating piece and ridges or projections 44 on the surface of the handle member 12. The ridges are dimensioned to be slidingly received in the slots thus preventing angular movement of the locking member relative to the brush handle.

The locking member 14 may be provided with a finger recess or pad such as shown at 46 for facilitating the finger engagement and manipulation of the locking member.

Having thus described this invention what is claimed 1. In a folding toothbrush having a handle member, a brush member and hinge means pivotally interconnecting said members for swinging movement into folded coextensive relation and extended end-to-end relation, means for releasably interlocking said members in said extended end-to-end relation comprising an actuating piece carried by said handle member and longitudinally slidable on one face of said toothbrush, said brush and handle members each being provided with slots of a similar cross section, opening through the face of the toothbrush on which said actuating piece is slidable, and also through adjacent inner ends of both the brush and handle members, and a key member extending from the inner surface of said actuating piece and fitted in said slots, said key mem er including a tongue and a web interconnecting said tongue and actuating piece, said web extending substantially the full length of said tongue, the slots in both said brush and handle members being undercut to interlock said key member in said slots, said slots being disposed to provide a keyway for the longitudinal sliding movement of said key member when said brush and handle members are positioned in end-to-end relation, the slot in said brush member being of sufiicient length to receive a substantial portion of the length of both said tongue and the interconnecting web, the length of said tongue and web being substantially greater than the length of the slot provided in said brush member but not substantially greater than the slot in said handle member.

2. In a folding toothbrush having a handle member, a brush member and a hinge pin pivotally interconnecting said members for swinging movement into folded coextensive relation and extended end-to-end relation, means for releasably interlocking said members in said extended end-to-end relation comprising an actuating piece connected by said handle member slida'ble longitudinally on one face of said toothbrush, said brush and handle members each being provided with slots of similar cross section opening through the face on which said actuating piece is slidable and also through adjacent ends of said members, and a key member extending from the inner surface of said actuating piece into said slots, said key member including a tongue and a web interconnecting said tongue and actuating piece substantially the full length of said tongue, both said slots being undercut to provide a keyway for said key member, the undercut providing shoulders retaining said key member in the slots, said slots being aligned to provide a keyway for the longitudinal sliding movement of said key member when said brush and handle members are disposed in endtoend relation, the slot in said brush member extending a substantial distance outwardly of said hinge pinto receive a substantial portion of the length of both said tongue and interconnecting web, the length of said tongue and web being substantially greater than the length of the slot in said brush member and not substantially greater than the length of the slot in said handle member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,639,009 Singley Aug. 16, 1927 2,523,073 Stacey et al. Sept. 19, 1950 2,948,009 Mesi Aug. 9, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 332,669 Switzerland Oct. 31, 1958 

1. IN A FOLDING TOOTHBRUSH HAVING A HANDLE MEMBER, A BRUSH MEMBER AND HINGE MEANS PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTING SAID MEMBERS FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT INTO FOLDED COEXTENSIVE RELATION AND EXTENDED END-TO-END RELATION, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY INTERLOCKING SAID MEMBERS IN SAID EXTENDED END-TO-END RELATION COMPRISING AN ACTUATING PIECE CARRIED BY SAID HANDLE MEMBER AND LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLE ON ONE FACE OF SAID TOOTHBRUSH, SAID BRUSH AND HANDLE MEMBERS EACH BEING PROVIDED WITH SLOTS OF A SIMILAR CROSS SECTION, OPENING THROUGH THE FACE OF THE TOOTHBRUSH ON WHICH SAID ACTUATING PIECE IS SLIDABLE, AND ALSO THROUGH ADJACENT INNER ENDS OF BOTH THE BRUSH AND HEANDLE MEMBERS, AND A KEY MEMBER EXTENDING FROM THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID ACTUATING PIECE AND FITTED IN SAID SLOTS, SAID KEY MEMBER INCLUDING A TONGUE AND A WEB INTERCONNECTING SAID TONGUE AND ACTUATING PIECE, SAID WEB EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE 